Diffusion-battery.



' PATENTBD AUG; 25, los E. G. WIGKBRSHAM. DIFFUSION BATTERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1903.

r0 MODEL.

- UNITED STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT QF ICE,

ENOCH GERARD WICKERSHAM, OF LEWISTON, MICHIGAN.

DIFFUSION-BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,184, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filell May 27, 1903.

T0 LLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOOH GERARD WICK- ERSHAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lewiston, in the county ofv Montmorency and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Diffusion-Battery, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to improvements in a diffusion-battery for extracting the essential from crude drugs and sugar from saccharine material-such as beets, cane, &c.in which the material is elevated through cells arranged on an incline and between rollers. Hot water being admitted to the upper cells overflows, passing in the opposite direction downward through each cell.

The object of my improvement is to afiford a simple and effective method of extracting the essential part from the material used.

I attain these objects by' the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the entire machine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the entire machine.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout both views.

a is the body of the pan, being inclined lengthwise tothe horizontal, the bottom having a number of depressions forming cells 0 c c, the number of cells in a working machine being at least a dozen. The machine being inclined, hot water is admitted at g to the upper cell, which when filled overflows into the next lower, thus filling'each cell alternately, the hot water and 3' nice flowing downward by gravitation through the beets, diffusing out the saccharine juice. When it overflows the lower cell, it falls into the tankk and passes into the carbonation-tanks and filter-presses, which are not a part of this invention. In the bottom of the pan, running from the lowest to highest cell, is an elevator-belt b, carrying the sliced beets, being deflected downward to the bottom of each cell by the rollers 01 d cl, and rising between each cell is passed between the rollers e f, which remove afportion of the juice and water of diffusion, making the change a radical one between each cell.

A drive-belt is run from a source of power over the pulley Z, whichby the aid of sprocketwheels and the chain belt m communicates Serial No. 158,985. (No model.)

motion to all the rollers and to the elevatorbelt I). Beets are admitted from the grinder through the shaft it into the lower cell and after passing through each cell and being thoroughly diffused are discharged into the chute j.

In this invention I do not confine myself-to a belt for an elevator, but contemplate the use of any other elevator which will force the sliced beets through the cells and accomplish the same end, which may be done by the rollers independently.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for diffusing drugs, salt and sugar, the combination comprising, a pan set at an angle to the horizontal having a number of depressions forming cells, an elevator-belt adapted for carryingthe substance being diffused through each cell, a roller in each cell adapted to submerge the substance being diff used to the bottom of this cell and elevate the substance to the next higher cell, a pair of rollers between each cell through which the material is passed adapted for extracting a portion of the diffused juice, a pipe adapted to admit hot water or other menstruum to the upper cell of the inclinedv series overflowing each cell in succession, a' steam-jacket beneath the cells adapted to 7 cell overflowing each cell in succession with an elevator adapted for carrying substance to be diffused beneath rollers to the bottom of each cell elevating the same between rollers extracting a portion of the juice therefrom, substantially as described and set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence-of two subscribing witnesses.

ENOCH GERARD WIOKERSIIAM.

Witnesses:

LOUIS J. LAMPKE, HARRY L. STEARNs. 

